Seven Cubs, Seven Fathers, Zero Days Off

Chapter 90: Chapter 90: You Big Idiot, You Can’t Even Cook

Shen Yue’s hands stilled, and she looked at him.

Her eyes, clear as water, held a placid calm and a hint of relief.

”What good would blaming you do? We need to solve the problem.”

”If you’re asking if I’m angry, then yes, a little. I’m angry that you almost harmed Er Bao. I’m angry that such a foolish father like you could exist in this world! I was thinking that Er Bao must have had eight lifetimes of bad luck to have his future nearly destroyed right after he was born—and by his own Father’s hand, no less!”

She paused, her tone shifting.

”But being angry is one thing. The most important thing is to find a remedy, to solve the problem, not to be blindly furious. Even if I chewed you out to let off steam, it wouldn’t change a thing.”

As she spoke, her eyes held a forgiving expression, as if she could see right through him.

”Besides, this is probably your first time being a Father. You didn’t know any better, and you didn’t do it on purpose. So, seeing as this is your first offense, we’ll just chalk it up to experience. Just make sure you’ve learned your lesson.”

Listening to her, Mu Silin felt as if she had pierced through his tough, manly exterior and touched the softest part of his heart.

His eyes, brimming with guilt, now burned with a deep affection as he gazed at Shen Yue.

In that moment, he saw her as more than just Er Bao’s female mother. She was a gentle beam of light, illuminating the depths of his soul.

It shook him, and he found himself uncontrollably placing her deep within his heart.

’What have I, Mu Silin, ever done to deserve such a perfect kindred spirit?’ he thought.

’She was the most wonderful warmth in the world, like a pair of hands caressing his heart, seeping into his very veins when his guard was down, leaving him shaken and deeply moved.’

’Yes, she was right. This was more than just a lesson; this experience was a mistake he would carry with him for the rest of his life.’

’He would probably carry this guilt toward Er Bao and Shen Yue until the day he died.’

He looked at her intently and said from the bottom of his heart,

”Thank you, Shen Yue.”

’I’m so glad I met you.’

”I’ll try my best to do better, to make it up to you and our child.”

’From now on, he would fulfill his duties as a father. He wouldn’t be so foolish or impulsive again.’

Shen Yue met his deep, sincere gaze, and her heart couldn’t help but flutter.

She gave a slight nod.

”I did it for Er Bao. It’s what I’m supposed to do as his female mother. You don’t have to thank me.”

Only after Mu Silin had left the bamboo house did he realize he had been completely caught up in his own emotions.

He’d forgotten to ask about Shen Yue.

’He knew she must not have slept all night.’

Nearby, Ye Lüqi watched him emerge and couldn’t help but ask,

”This King heard you say Er Bao’s spiritual power meridians are repaired?”

Bai Chaosi and Huang Ziyue turned to look at him as well.

Mu Silin composed his expression and nodded.

”Yes. Er Bao is fine.”

Hearing him confirm it himself, they were all in disbelief.

’Shen Yue really healed Er Bao?’

’She actually did it?’

’But how is that possible?’

Mu Silin looked at them, knowing they found it hard to believe.

”And I have you all to thank for your help with Er Bao.”

He, Mu Silin, was not an ungrateful man. Even though they were rivals for Shen Yue’s affection, he had seen with his own eyes how they had helped Er Bao the day before.

Setting their rivalry aside, he knew he had to give thanks where it was due. So he looked directly at Huang Ziyue.

”Yesterday, it was thanks to you that we discovered something was wrong with Er Bao. Otherwise, I fear he would have been ruined at my own hands.”

Huang Ziyue remained expressionless, like a block of ice. He gave Mu Silin a cool glance and said nothing.

Mu Silin was used to his icy demeanor. He was just like Sanbao; getting him to say more than a single word was impossible, unless it was for Shen Yue.

’Still, as long as he heard me, that’s what matters.’

Shen Yue had planned to get some much-needed sleep.

However, she was jolted awake by the thick smoke choking her.

She had just sat up when she heard the little cubs shouting outside.

”Stupid! You’re so stupid! You can’t even cook!”

”Hmph! And you call yourself my Father? You can’t even roast meat! You’re not my Father!”

”Dabao doesn’t want a stupid Father like you! You almost set Dabao’s fur on fire!”

Outside, the men were trying to placate them.

”I’m sorry, I’m sorry! Dabao, stand back a little. Father will definitely get the fire going properly this time.”

”Xi Xi, sweetie, quiet down! Don’t wake your female mother!”

”Liu Bao, you have to have faith in Father! Father will definitely roast this for you!”

Just from the sounds, it was clear the men were trying to cook for the children.

Shen Yue glanced at Er Bao, who was still fast asleep, then got up and went outside.

The moment she opened the door,

thick, billowing smoke rushed toward the roof, nearly setting the whole thing ablaze.

She immediately choked and coughed.

”Hurry up and put that fire out with some water!”

The men saw Shen Yue standing in the doorway.

Lan Cangyue was the first to react, grabbing a nearby bucket and dousing the fire in front of Ye Lüqi.

All the men scrambled to their feet. Even the normally immaculate Bai Chaosi was smeared with black soot, a patch of his sleeve singed.

The Golden Lion King had it even worse; his hair was singed.

Lan Cangyue was clutching a fish, which was covered in soot and char.

And Mu Silin was a sight to behold. He looked as if he’d just climbed out of a chimney. His hair was standing on end, and you could only tell he was a person by the whites of his eyes.

Only Huang Ziyue stood off to the side, locked in a staring contest with Sanbao. Big eyes met small eyes, both radiating an icy chill, looking as if they were about to either fight or freeze each other to death at any moment.

Shen Yue: ”...”

’What a disaster!’

’She just takes a nap, and these men nearly tear the roof off her house.’

Seeing that Shen Yue was awake, the little cubs all rushed over, looking terribly wronged.

”Female Mother!”

”Female Mother, they’re big dummies! They can’t cook!”

”They said they’d make food for us, but they don’t know how at all! They’re big liars! They almost set us on fire.”

The men, thoroughly embarrassed, all averted their gaze.

Their awkwardness was like that of children who had done something wrong, fearfully looking down and shuffling their feet.

Shen Yue looked at them and felt a headache coming on.

’What had she done to deserve this?’

After a moment’s thought, she said,

”Alright, I’ll cook. You all go and get yourselves cleaned up first.”

The men were all a little sheepish.

”We can do it, really.”

”Yeah, we just had a little trouble controlling the fire.”

”Mhm, and we weren’t quite sure how to roast things.”

Shen Yue stared at them, speechless. She decided not to call them out, letting them save a little face.

She walked over to the cooking hearth and started to prepare the meal.

Because of everything with Er Bao, the little cubs had gone practically a whole day without eating.

The little ones, trying not to wake her, had snuck out quietly after they woke up and hadn’t called for her even though they were hungry.

A warm feeling spread through her heart.

She used a Fire Stone to light the firewood. Ye Lüqi had sharp eyes; seeing that they had wasted all the dry wood, he hurried to fetch another armful.

As Shen Yue cooked, Lan Cangyue and the others made a quick exit to clean themselves up, then hurried back to help her.

Some started butchering the goat, while others washed vegetables.

Some lent a hand where needed, and others comforted the children.

Everyone did whatever they could to help.

In short, they all worked in a tacit, guilty silence.

Until a voice came from the doorway. It was Er Bao.

”Female Mother!”

Everyone whirled around to look.

There, in the doorway of the bamboo house, stood a little boy with black hair and a pair of small, fluffy ears.

His dark green eyes were bright and limpid, his little face was fair and flawless. His features were adorable yet handsome, and a pair of small, sharp fangs peeked out.

Shen Yue’s eyes lit up.

”Er Bao!!”